Recently, more camcorders or digital still cameras or the like have a function to record or reproduce, by receiving a small-sized memory card, a still image or a moving image. Such devices frequently used for entertainment or hobby purposes are strongly required to satisfy requirements regarding the operationality, downsizing, style, and design. A card attachment apparatus to which a memory card is inserted and from which a memory card is removed in particular has been strongly required to provide an improvement in the operationality, downsizing, style, and design.
Hereinafter, a conventional card attachment apparatus will be described.
FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show a conventional card attachment apparatus. FIG. 6 shows a status in which a memory card as a card-like recording medium is inserted and FIG. 7 shows a status in which an open/close cover which is a part of the card attachment apparatus is closed, respectively. In the drawings, the same components are denoted with the same reference numerals.
First, as shown in FIG. 6, camcorder device 1 has operation buttons 2 for the operation thereof. A card connector (not shown) to which memory card 3 is inserted to provide electrical connection is fixed in camcorder 1 (method for fixing the card connector is not shown).
Open/close cover 4 is provided on camcorder 1 in order to cover, when memory card 3 is not inserted or removed, opening section 5 of card connector.
Open/close cover 4 has a spindle by which open/close cover 4 can be rotated so as to selectively move between the first position (FIG. 6) at which the opening section to which or from which a card-like recording medium is inserted or pulled out is released and the second position (FIG. 7) at which the opening section is closed by storing open/close cover 4 in the device.
Open/close cover 4 has a cover cut-out section 4a to which fingers are put on when open/close cover 4 is opened.
Device 1 includes device cut-out section 6 to which fingers are inserted when memory card 3 is pinched and taken out.
The card attachment apparatus having the structure as described above will be described with regards to the operation.
As shown in FIG. 6, when memory card 3 is inserted or removed, open/close cover 4 is opened and memory card 3 is inserted to or removed from opening section 5. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, open/close cover 4 is pushed up and closed in the direction shown by arrow T. Open/close cover 4 is maintained to be closed by a lock mechanism (not shown).
The technique of this type is introduced, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2002-42059.
However, the above conventional structure requires device cut-out section 6 having a large size as shown in FIG. 6 to cause the interference between device cut-out section 6 and a space in which operation buttons 2 are provided. Due to this reason, the above conventional structure has required a wide area and thus has been prevented from being downsized.